


Broken Gate

by Amoridere



Series: Original Fics [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Emotionless Girl, Illustrations, Metaphors, Onmyouji - Freeform, Onmyōdo, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Original Story - Freeform, Posted under the main psued, Reality Subtext, Secrets, Siblings, Some of bits of this true, Tearjerker, Tragedy, Youkai, surprise at the end, tragic ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 16:50:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 9,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7181147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amoridere/pseuds/Amoridere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She vowed to never open that gate, never again. However, no one said fate would be kind</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nezumi

She hadn't much to do and hardly anyone to talk to besides her rodent minions. Conversations were mostly one-sided, as she could talk fluently, whilst they could not, however, she would use them for her purposes. She hadn't any other life besides a simple one and she lived it just as simply, unbothered by all else. Then again, she was a simple sort, who, despite that, was very hard to understand, especially by those she knew. She remembers not when she saw any of them last and she knew they wouldn't come to her domain. _Its foolish to come here._ she thought.

She hadn't any other reason to think otherwise, as the area surrounding her home was littered with bones and was surrounded by mist. Grass was scant and most of what grew on such tarnished soil were higanbana. Honestly, the place wasn't much to look at, yet the scenery never bothered her much, after all, her eyes weren't strong. That never bothered her, too, as she's spent more than 100 years like that. Her hearing was fine and she heard little besides the occasional pained and harsh moaning of what lied hidden behind the gate.

Like most all else, they never bothered her, especially since what lied behind it was sealed away over 100 years ago. She vowed to never open that gate, never again. She would guard it and reinforce its seals, like she had done since. It was a cycle oft repeated and she had kept quiet record of it and her daily happenings.

To others, her life was simple, yet incomprehensible and frightening. _Who would want to spend their life guarding a gate?_! Well, to her, her life was a mundane, obligatory, and practical one. With no one to guard the gate, the seals keeping what lied sealed behind would break and what happened those many years ago would happen again.

Her nose and ears twitch in response to something almost unheard. She sensed something.

_"I've dreaded this..., no..."_

Those moans from behind the gate become pained, harsh, discordant metallic screeches, piercing her eardrums like shards of glass.

_"...I knew this time would come."_

 


	2. Tora

****Toramaru **-" _Tora_ "**, as he's often called **-** was noted to be a rather foolish sort. He was one of the oldest, yet he never seemed to have bother to take on a more human-like appearance, like his (remaining) siblings Nezumi, Miyako, and Ryuuji. He may as well have been the youngest, considering how much he would pester them over trivial things and seemed to have needed the most. Likewise, without Nezumi, his younger sister, he seemed lost, as she was the only one he seemed to listen to.

He wanted to find her but he knew not where to look or who to ask about her. Those who knew her thought she perished in what had happened years ago and Ryuuji, having no familiar bond with her, accepted that she had, while Miyako knew what happened, yet she chose to withhold it. However, to Tora, what happened those years ago was a distant memory and he didn't remember what truly happened, thus he was more inclined to find out what happened to their lost sister. He never accepted

He visited Miyako at her home to inquire about her. Naturally, she wouldn't take this lightly and was furious that he'd even ask, let alone mention. "I haven't seen you in years and you ask about our younger sister, why?!" Miyako screamed. She wanted to shatter her teacup square over his head and would have done so if her children weren't watching and that she wouldn't have had to shoo them away. She was in tears and tried her hardest to protect what she knew but her circumstance did not allow it. _Nezumi_ , she thought as she stomped a hoof, _please forgive me, for I have failed._

"Nezumi has not died, as you seemed to already know, but she made me swear that I make sure I play up the ruse that she had because so much as even going in the direction of her domain will only mean trouble. Sealing that in which shall remain unnamed away behind a gate and guarding it is her sacrifice as, only she can rid the world of it forever. I have spend years protecting her secrets and those from her and all those who seek them only because it would mean a great doom to this world." she sobbed, her hooves clattering against the floor.

She sent him off, calling after him, " _ **GO!**_ Go and never return but, remember, if you seek her out, then you will have killed her."

Tora was confused, yet he was saddened. He had lost his sister long ago and yearned to be reunited with her again but he understood. Seeking her out meant he would lose her forever and he couldn't allow her to lose her life because of what she had sealed away behind the gate.

As he left Miyako's home, he was unaware someone was listening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To elaborate a bit on Miyako, she's a horse youkai and she looks mostly human besides a horsetail, ears, and hooves, the two of which are concealed by her kimono.


	3. Ryuuji

Ryuuji, true to his nature, was known to be arrogant and he had little regard for his siblings, especially Nezumi. His youngest sister was cognizant of his hatred of her and, apparently, the feeling there was mutual, as his ill treatment of her was enough for her to humiliate and dishonor him in a duel. He never forgot that, as she used some of her most powerful onmyoudo to scar and place a curse upon him. Unsurprisingly, in the aftermath of what happened those many years ago, he readily accepted that she had died, considering it good riddance.

Their mutual hatred knew no bounds, as, while he was quick to readily accept that she had died, he was the one who pushed her to open the gate in the first place. He'd never admit that, however, even his wife, who had nothing but unwavering devotion to him, came forth and told him that she would have undone the curse had he opted to make amends. She wasn't lying as Nezumi cursed him and vowed to make him suffer, thus, true to her curse, misfortune chased him wherever he went.

His children each died one by one and his wife died whilst bearing another, to which Nezumi decided to have her familiars spirit away. He was driven from his home and was cursed to wander from place to place, never truly living there longer than five years. Other youkai, even his own kind, abhorred him and the scar he bore would grow and change in size and shape. One would think he'd have learned, however, he did not.

So, when he caught wind of Nezumi having survive, he was furious. _How dare she?!_ he thought and he wanted to put an end to her once and for all.

What he would never realize is that one grave will not suffice.


	4. Emotion Felt at the Point of no Return

She commanded what was sealed behind the gate to sleep, however, it refused and it hadn't taken her much to realize that the seals were starting to weaken. Sacrificing ounces after ounces of her strength, she reinforced them, however, she knew she was only delaying the inevitable. "You want blood, I know," she said, almost soothingly with a strong resignation, "you will have it someday. Someday soon." It felt like her sacrifice, all those years ago, was for naught. Her weak eyes stung, yet, she never seemed to weep. Her tears dried up years ago and her emotions were long suppressed.

For once, she could say, she felt lament, an emotion she had learned to wall herself from. She felt a twinge of emotion in over 100 years and, for once, she regretted her situation. She had accepted her situation as thus, a powerful price to pay, as she couldn't leave what she had done behind and she had to protect what she released into the world and then sealed it away all over again. For once, her overall philosophy had its drawbacks.

 _Had I truly forgotten that I had a heart?_ she mused. Absently, she noticed how her tears haven't fallen and she wished they would. While she felt lament, she noticed it wasn't painful, instead it was mildly numbing, numbing her to warmth of the candles' glow in the room. Her closest approximation felt to the pain of lament was equated by her feeling cold, the which she also hadn't felt in a long time.

It was then that she had realized that she felt something in all those years. Quietly, she contented herself with the fact and accepted the end was drawing near. She hadn't considered her implications of that and probably wondered if death felt the same. While no one else was really aware of what she thought, she really didn't, as she had long disconnected herself from anything irrelevant to reinforcing the seals of the gate.

She didn't even notice the metallic taste of blood in her mouth.


	5. The Lycoris Flower

 

 _"_ Sometimes, her closely worked-with minions are capable of acting on their own terms, in which case, one such minion, by the name of Ki, did. It left the house and plucked a lycoris from the dead ground and went about its way. Apparently, Nezumi wasn't aware that she was sending a message, a dreadful message. It was probably naive to this, however, it nevertheless acted out of its own determination, hurrying on a long path to someone's home.

It seemed to have been scurrying at an immeasurable speed, as it reached Miyako's house within a day's journey. The horse youkai was not anticipating this, no, and her reaction upon seeing the flower it was carrying was one of sorrow and anger. She thought Tora had betrayed them both and it was then that she realized that Tora hadn't even gone anywhere near where the rat had come from. Seeing the lycoris meant something dire was to occur and that she had to find Tora before it was too late.

After hastily scribbling a note, she set out in the darkness. She wondered what her children would think, however, the reason she had decided to pursue her older brother was so she could save them from whatever was brewing. Whatever was brewing was malevolent and destructive and it will take more than what it had taken the last time. In over 100 years, she acted and move liked a human, however, this time, she resumed her youkai animal form. Running on two legs will have been fine but not for this occasion, this time was urgent.

She scrambled about until she detected his scent, to which she followed to a humble cave. Usually, he would be asleep but, this time, he wasn't, no, he was wide awake. It took not words for him to know what had happened and what was going to. They opted to comfort each other, as the rat held the lycoris flower.

_"The smell of blood is strong this evening."_


	6. Revenge Over Forgiveness

_"Really, is taking revenge more important than forgiveness?"_ he recalled his late wife asking, before she went on to say, "She would have lifted the curse, certainly, if you had opted to make amends." It was a bitter resonation that sounded in his ears and she had said that a good two weeks before her death and the birth of his child. One could say he never answered his wife when she asked him as to whether or not forgiveness was more important than revenge. His arrogance refused to acknowledge that some part of his sister still cared and, instead, he saw as a malicious rat who thought fit to curse him than to accept his "kind" treatment.

To him, he was kind, whereas, to her, she had endured his cruel treatment, often being bullied into submission and was being used for her abilities, even being locked away on a couple of occasions. One could say he was greedy and had stolen too much of his sister's kindness. _"Even someone weaker can become strong against someone who is stronger..."_ Nezumi's voiced hissed into his ears. At the time, he scoffed and laughed in return, saying how she'd never win and that she would burn in hell.

* * *

_"Hah, you stupid rat, I am powerful whilst you are weak. You will not win!"_

_"You can laugh all you want and you can continue laughing in a burning Hell!"_

_"Me? Going to hell? Hah, you are stupider than I thought, it will be you going burn in Hell!"_

_"If am to burn, then you will, too, foolish arrogant older brother!"_

* * *

She remembered it, too, and, unlike her brother, she's since moved on from it. She offered her forgiveness and left the issue at that. She remembered it as though it was an afterthought and, with remembering, it left her mind as quickly as it will have come, like a passing breeze. Memories, like her emotions, were irrelevant and she never gave them much weight, unless it pertained to the gate in which she guarded and sealed away the malign presence behind. _His arrogance_ , she thought, _has cost him much, his punishment is thus._ It was a rational thought, yet it was matter-of-fact. She had no emotional sort of connection to it, just the fact that it was due justice. Did she want to place a curse on her brother? Not even she could say and neither does she seem haunted by it, she just saw it something that must be done and nothing else.

Apparently, Ryuuji never grasped the possibility that her curse wasn't out of deep-seated hate-filled belligerence. His actions towards her were belligerent, the which cannot be denied, however, while he believed it was, she could never say if her curse was of the same nature. "It was justice," she probably would say, "and justice is impartial. Undue actions have to be punished."

She offered her forgiveness, yet he decided to antagonize her further. She remembered that chaos and destruction caused by what was malign, thus she resigned to herself to a quiet and pragmatic existence. Her sister couldn't keep the ruse up any longer and it would be a matter of time before she'll stop reinforcing the seals and open the gate again.

One could wonder how things would have turned out if he opted for forgiveness instead of revenge.

_"He's made his choice."_


	7. Salty Rain

"Few refuges remain, Tora." Miyako lamented, cradling her children in her arms. All over the land, as Tora and Miyako have noticed, there was an increased presence of rats, mundane and youkai alike, and they were agitated. While they knew trouble was yet to come, they couldn't sort out what triggered them to act the way they did. It seemed they were not motivated by hunger or vengeance of some sort (as would be the case with the latter sort), however, there was something driving them. They seemed to be going one particular direction and had destroyed most of all that stood in their path. The rats, Tora had noted, were holding small torches of fire and some were carrying floating lanterns.

"I take it they are doing a funeral procession." he said, looking on in mild confusion. He didn't bother to ask why the rats would be holding a funeral procession and he needed not an answer. Subconsciously, without realizing it, he knew why. Likewise, Miyako grasped it, too. As the glow of the lanterns and torches faded away, she wished them well on their journey.

Once the glow had disappeared over the horizon, it started to rain. Absently, Tora said, "Hm, the rain tastes salty." Miyako was startled and asked what he meant, to which he said, "The rain tastes salty and its kinda hot, too." She sniffed it and made note that it was salty and made the air humid. _Nezumi, are the skies crying for you?_ she wondered.

Miyako never could seem to have remembered when she last saw Nezumi cry, however, while that was the case, she couldn't seem to remember the last time she had smiled either. As far as she knew, Nezumi wasn't always without emotions but she doesn't recall too much of her expressing them, then again, her sister was known to be a solitary sort and would most likely express her emotions in silence and solitude. Whether she remembered or not, she did know that her sister's tears dried up years ago.

Tora, however, did remember when she smiled last or, so, he thought she did. He remembered her being more emotive as the two once lived together. He was one of the few she'd open up to and he remembered how much she smiled when she often spoke of her hopes and dreams, how she relished the thought of being free. While solitary, he did note that she would greet him with much enthusiasm and he was one of the few she would allow to get near her. He took the time out to remember than all three of them, himself, Nezumi, and Miyako used to sit together and drink tea. She was laughing, then. His memories of her were hazy, as should be noted, however, he remembered some things about her really well.

"Even the skies weep for Nezumi." Miyako remarked absently, to which Tora agreed.


	8. Shattered Mirror

Nezumi never much preferred to look in mirrors, then again, she hadn't much a reason to, with her terrible sight. Ironically, for some reason, she did have a mirror, regardless if she bothered to look at her reflection or not. However, she didn't need to look into a mirror to know something was off. Something had been off and what it was would have been alarming otherwise but, whatever is alarming to most, was a given or something to be expected to Nezumi.

She was growing weak. Her steps and movements were shaky and each breath she took was painful and labored. Her hair turned a silverish white. Internally, it seemed, her body was slowly starting to decay. She wasn't alarmed, as she had been sacrificing most of the strength that had kept her alive to delay the inevitable. It would only be a matter of time, she knew. She hadn't lamented this, instead, she accepted this as a necessary outcome.

Yet, bizarrely, she conversed with the object she never gave much attention to. One could say she was succumbing to her own madness, however, that would be odd, as her madness was a separate entity she had sealed away as with most other dreadful things behind the gate. Of course, with one thing sealed, could always leave another of the same to form, in which case, her madness had manifested as the reflection her weak eyes couldn't recognize.

 _"Hello, Nezumi."_ she head a voice say. It prompted her interest and brought her to the mirror, causing to her respond, "Who addresses me?" The voice snickered and responded that it hadn't a name. It seemed amused that it was taunting her, however, for Nezumi, it was contenting to have someone to talk to. "Well, names mean naught, as we'll be the same in death." she responded.

_"Perhaps so, what are you, Nezumi?"_

"Just someone living a mundane life and delaying the inevitable and you are?"

_"The voice of something you can't see."_

"You mock me and, yet, I am not fazed."

_"You're not far from death, are you aware?"_

"I was never far from death."

_"You're not in denial? How strange."_

"What is there to deny? I suppose it would strange for someone not to deny death, however, I cannot not deny what will happen."

"You look weaker than ever."

"I was never strong."

_"Open the gate, will you?"_

"There will come a time but, right now, it is not the time to open it."

The voice persisted on having Nezumi to open the gate and, if she had felt her emotions, she probably would've felt an annoyed rage, however, philosophically, her actions were different than her feelings. The two were rather disconnected and, since she hasn't felt much of if any emotion in about a century, one could say, she wasn't acting emotionally. Either way, she reached up to the mirror, took it in her hand, and flung it the floor, shattering it.

It should be noted that most had bronze or steel mirrors, however, Nezumi's appeared to be glass, considering how easily it shattered. Of course, shattering the mirror hadn't destroyed the presence within it, instead, destroying the mirror freed it. Nezumi's reflection, an odd but ghostly entity, left her domain, still mocking her. Nezumi said very little in return, very little besides, "You'll have your fun, soon enough."


	9. The Old Dog and the Dragon

In seeking out Nezumi, Ryuuji came across a near-deranged dog youkai. This dog, named Mirai, had knew he would be coming and she had a bizarre case of knowing things before they occur. While she was senile and quite so mentally unstable, it was clear she was not to welcoming of what was to come, nor his presence. Distantly, Ryuuji recognized her, although he doesn't remember the last time he had seen her. She wasn't as old, then, however, whether or not she was old now wasn't relevant, as she had recognized him, too.

"Long time, no see." he greeted her to which she snarled, responding that she didn't like him. However, he responded in kind, stating, "I hadn't forgot all of what you did." She snickered dryly but said little else. The dragon mentally remarked that she was probably beautiful once and how ugly she looked as she snickered. He would also note how annoying he thought Mirai was, yet she would counter that he was just as pestering.

Her snickering was venomous and it continued a good while. "For once, in centuries, I shall rest." she said, smiling a jagged smile, to which he responded, "Whatever it is that you mean?" Another round of venomous snickering erupted and continued until she coughed.

"Hah. I shall sleep because a grave wrong shall soon be righted, consequence or consequences be damned."

"You are close to death, I hope you realize."

"That is true, very much like the sister to whom you caused so much pain."

"Well, you'll be meeting her."

"Hah! Child, I will see you soon as well."

"Silence."

"One sacrifice will not suffice, two will be much better."

Ryuuji watched her snicker until she snickered no more. He knew not what to think, perhaps, except that she died snickering. He walked away, with her snickering echoing in his ears, saying, "I'll prove you wrong, you old bitch."


	10. Broken Seal

Nezumi often took the time to maintain the seals on and around the gate, however, in her weakened state, she neglected to notice that one seal was broken. It had been broken for some time and, when she did acknowledge it, she knew there was so little she could do besides maintaining the other ones, as she was weak enough already, thus making another seal would kill her. It would have been no use, as it was lesser seal, not as important as the great seal in which it supported. The other seals remained intact, which was all that mattered, however, she couldn't stop thinking about it.

She started to feel cold, however, as she quickly as she felt it, she destroyed it, estinguishing it like a candle's flame, halting the feeling right then and there, where it was and where it will be. It was pointless to have that feeling when tears refused to be shed.

That moaning grew louder, causing Nezumi's ears to ring. This wasn't the first time and, like times before, she commanded it to sleep, reassuring it that would have its fun, it's fill of chaos and destruction before it would be made to slumber again. In being tired, she slumped in front of the gate.

As she lied there, she began to remember. It was a distant and fuzzy memory, she would recall. She was young then, a child, and it seemed off that she would've been happy, then. Of course, that was probably her earliest and, thus far, only memory of happiness. She remembered how she once lived happily with her siblings and how close they once were. She remember little else and, like it came, it quickly left, like a passing dream. Once it left, she felt cold again and, like before, she destroyed that feeling.

Her weak eyes stung but tears refused to fall.

_"I suppose I had truly forgotten I had heart."_


	11. On the Cliff with the Willow Tree

Usually, Tora can be oblivious, however, somehow, he seemed to feel that Nezumi was dying. She wasn't anywhere near them but he could feel her weakness. She may not have been strong in most sense of the word but she was never this weak. _She had been ill_ , he remembered, _but she was never this close to death._ He felt powerless as he had resolved to protect her but he couldn't save her from this. He couldn't save her then and he wished he could have saved her now. She sacrifice herself once again and it will be a final time, thus, there will have been little he could do.

He left the cave for a spell. He wouldn't be gone long but he would be gone for a bit. He had somewhere to go and it wasn't Nezumi's domain. He hurried as far as he could, to the west, and he was dead set on finding something. Years had passed since he was last there and, like he remembered, it was so long ago. He continued running until he came to a cliff. His memories came flooding back.

He remembered how the willow tree would have bloomed. She would sit under it, contemplating the beauty of it, regardless if she could see well or not. She just knew it was beautiful and he would agree with her. They would talk of things but, mostly, they would talk about how beautiful the willow tree was. It was here, under the willow, that she had expressed her wishes, her wishes to live a rather quiet and contented life. It stung how that wish had never come true and, while he didn't know what her life was now, he figured it wouldn't be as she hoped.

Fate had other plans and, in all honesty, he could only hope for mercy on them both. He would never say who was right, however, it didn't matter, as, whatever fued they had is leading them to their deaths. He knew Ryuuji would never admit that he would die as well. He would lose them both but losing Nezumi would sting him the hardest, as her life had been the most difficult. He resented his younger brother for that, thinking, _For taking her away from me, I will never forgive you,_ _Ryuuji_ _._

He walked up to the cliff and sat under the willow tree, asking, "Nezumi," his voice trembling, "can my voice reach you, now?" In his mind, he was talking to her, once again. He hoped she would forgive him and he wished she was there with him again.

On a cliff with a willow tree.


	12. Kagami

Ryuuji thought he was seeing things when he spotted a figure standing before him. She resembled his sister to such a degree that he confused her for his sister and motioned to strike a killing blow, however, he was soon proven wrong when he realized that her form didn't stay corporeal, instead, her form dispersed to the wind before reforming, a wry smile glued to her face.

She called herself "Kagami" and replied that she was the reflection of someone Ryuuji had known, yet she didn't state as to whom she reflection of. One could say, in his stupor, he didn't recognize her as resembling Nezumi, no, instead he assumed to resemble someone else, especially since Nezumi's hair wasn't often disheveled the ways hers was and the fact that Nezumi's eyes were perpetually narrowed. She looked similar, which could be denied, however, there were some obvious differences.

Annoyed with her mocking, Ryuuji demanded that she'd state her purpose, to which she said, "I am here, before you, as a warning." She then cackled, leaving the dragon to think, Well, this certainly can't be Nezumi. He was confused and asked her to elaborate, to which she said, "I will have my fun, very soon, when blood is spilled and the sacrifices are done."

"Then you can see her in Hell." he replied, biting back a snarl.

"Hah, you are foolish!" she said back in an almost familiar voice.

"Are you a messenger of my spiteful sister?"

"No, I am not, rather, I am manifestation of things that will occur. Your time, like hers, is drawing to its close in this endless swelling of chaos. I will have my fun and it will be glorious. Laugh now but you won't be laughing then. Your curse was her punishment but what is to come will be of your own doing. I come bearing a warning, warning of a fate you can and will not escape! I can hear them coming and there will be NO turning back."

She cackled again, before disappearing, taking on a more ethereal form, however, as she disappeared, she said, "You had better plead for forgiveness while you still can."


	13. The Rage She Didn't Possess

Tora seemed to have been running a long time from something. Things had taken a rather unfortunate turn and it seemed Nezumi had left her minions to their own devices, apparently freeing them from her control. However, this probably wasn't a wise move on her part, not that she would argue either for or against, as they seemed to have possessed the rage that she herself seem to have. They wanted to avenge her and, unlike the previous rats, they were far more destructive.

They scurried about everywhere, attacking almost anyone and anything, gobbling up crops and spreading bones, frothing blood at their mouths, screetching along the way. There seemed to have been very little escape from these rats and few things offered protection. One could say Kagami, Nezumi's reflection, was having her fun. The first sign of rats, Miyako knew, was one thing but, the second sign of rats, Nezumi's minions in massive abundance, was a bad omen, a fortelling to more destructive times.

She held her children close to her and said, "Close your eyes, children." If they were going to die, then she wanted her children not to be aware of it, however, at the same time, the amount of destruction was incomprehensible and far too much for innocent eyes to bear. As Tora had revealed, the rats didn't come anywhere near the cave and, instead, went around it. Perhaps, Nezumi did have some control over them after all.

"They have the rage that she herself doesn't possess, let alone, feel." Miyako said. Tora nodded in bewilderment, apparently grasping the implications. Not to long before, during a mock funeral procession, the skies wept for her, express the sorrow she destroyed, the sorrows she couldn't feel, and, now, her minions were ravaging and killing almost anything they could find in feverish rage. The only minon not to do this was Ki, instead, Ki just watched, curling her tail around herself. One could say she couldn't comprehend the behaviour of her fellow minions and was probably confused.

Ki, one could say, was stoic. She felt their rage and smelled the sorrow in the air, yet she didn't know how to react and reacted little besides watching, watching as her fellow minions destroyed everything they could.


	14. The Sorrow She Didn't Feel, nor Express

It was something of an instinctive drive, a drive she wasn't aware that she had. For once, one could say, she didn't feel as weak as she did before. She had barely dressed herself and wore little besides a plain nagajuban. For once, when it didn't have anything to do with the gate, she stepped outside of her home. Typically, if there was something outside of her house that she needed, then she would have had her minions retrieve it but this time was different.

She didn't bother to summon her minions back to do errands for her and it wouldn't do any good, as instinctive drives repelled all sense of logic in her situation. This was something she barely noticed as being extraordinary but accepted what it was, nevertheless. She was dying and, obviously, instinctive drives oft came with dying, something she acknowledged.

Like before, nothing about the scenery had changed, except those flowers had grown in more abundance. Her bare feet touched the barren earth below and her hair blew in the wind. She reached her trembling hand down to the ground, feeling around the stem of the blood red flower. The plucked it from the ground, however, she didn't break the stem as she did, instead, she kept the roots intact.

She was gathering flowers for what was apparently an hour or two, time never mattered much to Nezumi. When she had finished gathering a large cluster of flowers, she went about replanting them. Even with shaking hands, she took extra care to replant them and keep their roots intact. She replanted them in neat little rows and had carefully arranged them in accordance to whatever order she was thinking of.

She had arranged them around the gate in which she guarded. She knew not why but it was one of many final instinctive drives. It wouldn't sate the force sealed behind it, no, and she knew this but replanting the flowers in something of a garden was something she did. To her, at the moment, it was mundane, however, she accepted that, when she does die, she would think of it otherwise.

After she planted those flowers, it started to rain once again. She didn't bother to go inside, instead, she stood looking up. Her weak eyes stung, once again, and, like before, she didn't shed tears. Interestingly, she didn't feel cold. She felt nothing besides the rain and the blood pooling in her mouth.

 _Do the skies weep for me?_ she thought, finding nothing to answer her internal question. For once, it seemed, the metallic moaning and screeching behind the gate quieted, quieted down into something of a soft pained whimper, punctuated by a wail, an almost mournful cry of some sort. Nezumi blinked and wondered, absently, disconnected from most other things, if the the force from behind the gate had been grieving for her. _It seems that you weep for me, too._ If it had any feelings, any that she never thought to be aware of, then it might as well be mourning.

The forces and the skies had the sorrow she didn't feel, nor could she express and they seemed to be weeping for her, the one whose tears dried years ago. Only one could say if it were enough.


	15. Finale, pt 1

She sensed him from over a mile away and he be upon in her few of the time she would expect. This day was her last and that moaning and groaning grew louder. "Your time has come and my time will end." she said, "You will have your fun soon enough, two sacrifices be damned." She felt cold again, lamenting, yet, still, tears refused to fall and her weak eyes stung, however, she didn't bother destroy the feeling, as it seemed to be better than feeling at all.

It hadn't taken him long to show up in front of her home. She blinked her weak eyes and summoned a final bit of a strength. By now the seals had critically weakened and it would be a matter of time before the great seal would break. Of course, it would be Nezumi who breaks it. This would be a final tussel between the dragon and the rat and, in the end, as she could say, it would never have been about who was weak and who was strong.

"I knew you would come." she said, simply. By then, that cold feeling had gone, she was done lamenting. She felt nothing towards her sibling who had come to end her life. No anger, sorrow, justice, or even the hatred that her drove rise against him, she just felt nothing, just as she felt for over 100 years. If anything, she would probably blame him for why she hadn't felt anything, then again, she probably wouldn't. It wouldn't matter anymore, she knew, and, by that point, it never mattered.

"I see you are dying, perhaps, I shall be kind and make it a quick one." he snickered, preparing to draw his blade. She blinked in something that could be described as indifference, saying, in response, "You've made your choice." At first, Ryuuji thought she was toying with him but, then, he could have sworn he'd seen her snicker. He realized Nezumi never snickered or even changed expression. It seemed Kagami had superimposed her image over his sisters and the snickering was Mirai standing behind him.

_"Your time, as well as mine, has come."_

 


	16. Final, pt 2

Miyako couldn't seem to stop pacing and stamping her hoof. She was agitated, just as Tora was. They exchanged no words but made it clear that they'd go deeper into the cave for refuge. They knew this would come which made them more upset, Miyako especially. In the end scheme of things, they, unfortunately, as they had had to reconcile, could not protect or save her. They reacted with grief and horror, while Nezumi, accepted it. "Perhaps, she'll finally be free, as she wished." Tora spoke finally, to which Miyako agreed, "Perhaps, she will."

He stared at her and, by now, what was sealed behind the gate was trying to claw its way out. If it wasn't mourning, crying out, then it seemed to be snickering as if to say, "Heh, I am strong and you are weak." It mocked him, just like Kagami did, and, like Mirai, it snickered, however, it snickered in Nezumi's voice. Nezumi was going to free it and give it what she promised before sealing it away again for good.

She coughed and did what one could call "taunting", taunting her brother with what she knew. "You call killing me to be a mercy, yet you would only quicken what has started, either way, you will die, too. This needs two sacrifices not one. You've made your choice and I had offered forgiveness. I assume you to be satisfied?" she said, simply, devoid of emotion. Again, he could have sworn he'd seen her smiling a taunting smirk. His mind was playing tricks on him, a final bit of madness, as Nezumi would have put it, before death.

When he managed to clear his mind, one could say he should have recalculated his moves, in which case, he lunged at Nezumi at the wrong time. Had he been aware, he would have taken the time out to notice that Nezumi had recalled some final remnants of her strength and magic. "This is your punishment." she whispered before her two largest minions appeared to ferry her elsewhere. However, while she managed to evade the worse, despite summoning the remaining bits of strength and magic, she couldn't heal her wounds. Her minions had taken her far from where she lived for over 100 years.

He stood for about a few moment. He stared at the gate, however, what he didn't realize that the great seal on the gate was destroyed. He would flee, just like Nezumi, however, what she sealed away had a will of adamantine and would opt to seek him out, no matter where he would flee to and, in seeking him out, it would destroy and devour almost of everything in its path


	17. Finale, pt III: For Once, She Felt

Ryuuji fled and fled but he could not evade those forces, so he resolved to fight them. He battled them endlessly but he would lose. Nezumi listened, her minions ferrying her through the air. She wouldn't do anything about this, not just yet. The madness that was own that she sealed away relished the thought of being rid of him with as much veracity as he did her. Of all the ills, she would be most ferocious.

She and all the other ills that Nezumi had chased him. This chase and battle continued for what seemed to be an immeasurable amount of time. All the ills and her own madness in which she sealed continued to chase and hound him until, ultimately, he could no longer fight them. He had exhausted all of his power and his strength running and fighting. He could hear his sister's insanity cackling screech, as she and all the ills lunged forth.

What happened next, Nezumi processed and knew. He was gone and that was that. She felt nothing towards this. It was going to happen. _He's had his chance_ , she acknowledged, _and he's squandered it_ , making himself a pointless of victim of his own arrogance. He was gone, taken like most of everything of the ills' path of destruction. It and her madness had what they wanted. It wanted blood, destruction, death, and vengeance and it had it, just as she's promised.

Once that was done, she summoned back the rest of her strength and said a final spell, calling it back to the gate she once guarded and sealing it away, for good. She had sacrificed once again and she

Her time had dwindled, she knew, and she decided to make it a mission. She had two remaining siblings, neither of which she had seen those years ago. It was a final drive and she willed herself to linger a bit longer. She had to see them again, to comfort them of their grief. It would be a short reunion and a bittersweet one.

She had her minions ferry her to the cave where Tora and Miyako took refuge. They sat her down, where she opted to curl up. Her memories came flooding back as her brother and sister drew towards her. She couldn't see them and she could barely hear but she felt them there, with her, in the beginning of her final moments. She felt something burning within and, from what it seemed, that burning wanted comfort.

* * *

_Am I...afraid?_

* * *

She couldn't make out all what Miyako and Tora said but she knew she was being taken somewhere. They were taking her to the cliff with the willow tree and she could sense them and her minions taking her to somewhere familiar. She would probably find it amusing that she was being taken to die in a place she once loved, a place where her faded memories of happiness once were.

She fought to linger a bit more, doubly as they gently rested her on the ground. She sniffed lightly, detecting scents once familiar to her faded memories. It seemed the willow blossoms were in bloom once again, those many years ago. She was reliving a long distant past and she was, briefly with her beloved brother and sister once again. For once, she didn't dismiss her memories as a passing breeze, something irrelevant. It was feeling like a dream, a dream in which she knew she wouldn't awake.

She was shocked out of her reverie by the stinging pain of her wounds. Earlier, she barely registered that she had been injured by Ryuuji's blade, besides the fact that she knew she was bleeding. That burning she felt wanted to be comforted and, without realizing it too much, shakily, she outstretched a hand, to which Tora and Miyako seized in their's.

For once, in her dying moments, she registered what her feelings were. She was feeling an odd combination of them, along with how her body felt. She felt the warmth and wet of her blood and the weakness in her limbs, along with the stinging pain of pain of her wounds. She could feel their love, the love of two older siblings who hadn't seen her in years, and, in spite of it all, she felt a faint feeling of hope for something she wouldn't know why. She registered that burning feeling within as fear, fear of what was to come next.

With her final breath, she said, _"Forgive me, please, I love you. Please,...please, don't weep for me, as you'll find me again."_ She cracked something of a wry but sorrowful smile. Just as she wanted, she was expressing and feeling sorrow, feeling as more than a distant cold, a cold she probably had despised, if she ever considered her dislike. Sorrow was an emotion she seemed to have yearned for. As she noted this, her face felt wet.

* * *

_Perhaps, those are Miyako and Tora's tears falling on my fac-Wait, no..._

* * *

Those tears were not those of her brother and sister, instead, in her final moments, just as she wished, those tears were hers. She was crying, shedding tears, expressing her sorrow. Now, she could rest. It was all over, now, the gate was sealed, Ryuuji was gone, and all would be well again, as it should be. Just as she had wanted those years ago, she was free at last.

For once, in over 100 years, in her final moments, she felt.


	18. Authoress Note: Behind the Story of "Broken Gate"

This story has kind of an interesting story behind it. For one, the character the Nezumi started off as a piece of mixed-media artwork (the which took about three hours) and the story itself had it roots in the form of a poem, titled the same as the story, said poem being about eight pages at the most long.

A lot of times when I write, I base it off of my own feelings towards certain events if not life in general. Thus, there is a lot of reality subtext behind this story.

Allow to me elaborate a bit further on that.

For one, the relationship between myself and my relatives is wrought with conflict, much like Nezumi's relationship is with hers. However, the relationship between one of my oldest brothers and me is what I would call the rockiest considered what happened and what I had to do, even when I hoped not to. I wasn't given much of a choice.

My older brother and I used to be roommates and, I won't deny, it was rather nice, however, it soon turned into something a bit more seething. As of recent (I could say), older brother, he had not been nice to me and it was pretty nasty, especially with him bullying and the fact that, despite it all up until that point, I had been pretty accommodating, even going so far as to do something I didn't want to do and the fact I had broken the terms of my lease but did it out of kindness. He never thought to view it that way, just used that as an excuse to take advantage of me, regardless if I'm mentally ill and mildy autistic.

Well, fast forward, my town-home was a total wreck, positively deplorable (needs no explanation there), which, eventually, had sealed it. It was the straw that had long killed the camel. I won't deny, I am also to blame, however, what he did was far worst, causing me a great deal of mental duress ( _"The freeway looks really nice, right now."_ ) and jeopardizing my housing.

When it came to me facing eviction, I realized I didn't really have a choice, 7 children be damned. I had been putting up with his bullying, taunts, and all other things as such included and realizing that, if he doesn't leave, I'd lose my home, so, I resorted to a restraining order, which meant the cops could force him out. They did, suffice enough to say, and they were gone, already had another place, causing me all of that trouble for nothing.

Dare I say this, I didn't **_want_** to take out a protection order on him and his wife, thus losing contact with my youngest nephews, but I had no other choice. I needn't be told but I know he sees me as a total bitch for doing it. Frankly, I wished to make amends and for he in turn.

Needless to say, the events preceding this summer in regards to him and the aftermath, I was left with a lot of mental and emotional fallout, leaving me to write the story to cope and, some day,  come to terms with my feelings.

* * *

 **Nezumi-** She, to some extent, represents myself. Nezumi was once the accommodating and kind younger sister, who had been taken advantage of because she was weaker in some way (She has bad eyes and is a rat). Like myself and my brother, she and Ryuuji once lived together and they used to be nice to each other at one point, however, his arrogance had got in the way.

While she does represent myself, in some way, she is something I am very much not and something that I wished to be. While I have some emotional disconnect, Nezumi had long suppressed her emotions to such an extent that she doesn't feel them anymore.

However, in much a vein, she does have some of my philosophy towards things, which is to say, "disregarding all that is irrelevant" and, like myself, this sort of thought pattern had its drawbacks, as, for Nezumi, it caused her to stop feeling her emotions, while for me, it makes me less inclined. In tune with that, Nezumi had been quite browbeaten by her past and present circumstances that she had grown used to it, much like I had, using that to cope (much to the anger of my father). Nezumi and I tend to cope with things through acceptance and disregarding all irrelevant. 

In much the same vein, I wanted very much to make amends and patch things up, much like Nezumi had offered but he chose otherwise, while I knew it was probably too late. She's at what you could call peace with the fact her brother made his choices, while I am still reeling, knowing that, no matter how much I wished, I would have to pick up the pieces to what was damaged.

Her death, in some way, represented what I had let go and how I was free, which is to say, how those feelings I once had were or will be gone after a great deal of time and how I found some relief in that I don't have to deal with either him and his wife anymore.

* * *

 **Ryuuji** \- Obviously, I based him off of my older brother. While I could admit I wasn't right and probably hasn't been easy to live with, he would never admit that had done any wrong and was a driving factor. Likewise, he would never acknowledge that Nezumi had an escape clause in her curse, much like how my older brother would never acknowledge how I had felt and that we could have made amends had never crossed his mind.

However, to him, in his opinion, he was being nice and helpful when it was actually the opposite, whereas I was being the lying bitchy sister who was wrong in every way.

His death isn't too clear but, then again, we don't need a description. His death not being described comes from the fact that, while I couldn't stop, I never wanted to continue thinking about him. Nezumi hears him die but doesn't ruminate much more on it. I know we are not allowed to contact one another, however, he's not quite out of sight out of mind but, however, knowing how I tend to view things, I'm quite sure that, when he dies, most of everything about him will die, as well (him and I are not very close).

* * *

 **Tora-** Tora is based off of my other brother. Tora's relationship with Nezumi is vague and somewhat strained, at best, however, he was a trusted confidant to her. While that was the case, Nezumi couldn't keep him close enough, however, he does listen to her. The fact that Tora wanted to find her, after all those years, represents that fact that I hadn't seem said older brother in so long, however, the fact that he sees her as she dies, would represent how, despite what either of them want, they couldn't have it.

The fact that Tora didn't know the extent of what happened between her and Ryuuji was the fact that my brother to whom he was based didn't know what really happened between me and the other one and how he wished he did and how he didn't wish it had come to that.

* * *

 **Miyako-** The dutiful older sister to whom Nezumi trusts and loves. I had based her off of my older sister, who, like Tora, knew something wasn't right but she didn't know the extent but was rather trusted enough to keep a secret (ironically, I hadn't told my sister too much about situation but I told her enough). While she did know something, she could do little, double because she has children and has to look after them.

I can't say how my sister felt during that whole mess with the other brother because I don't know but I can tell she probably wished she had known and could do something about it. If anything, she probably felt powerless when she had known about it because of little she could do.

* * *

 **The Gate and the "Ills"-** The titular gate represents something of a mental barrier, a vault, a box, something in which I've buried my feelings in, likewise, it's also where I've had to keep "Visceral" (it's the name for my Id and most things related). It's there to keep them locked away, however, despite that, they try to get out without something suppress them and, slowly, from time to time, they get out. When the gate's seals started to break, it represents the time winding down to me resorting to the choice I didn't want to make, no matter how I delayed it, however, it also represented me nearing the point of letting out long suppressed feelings.

Nezumi sealed away the ills and her own "madness" behind the gate and left it at that. She guards the gate, knowing how disastrous that could become if they were let loose, much like my much suppressed rage.

The ills (the forces in which Nezu sealed behind the gate) represented my rage and sorrow and the demons I wrestled with from within. Now, I have, to some extent let those out, some of which were verbal lashings out or other forms, things not very subtle. I had let them out and then I had to shove them away for the sake of other things.

Her unsealing the gate the second time, well, that represented how I first gave my brother a chance and how he pushed me. I had no choice but to get an order before my sanity and housing suffered. Nezumi doesn't much want to open the gate but she knows she has to and doesn't get a say in the matter.

* * *

 **Nezumi's curse-** The curse on Ryuuji was based on two things. One, in a fit of upset, I wished something horrible to befall him. It wasn't a very right thing to do but I still wished for it, nevertheless. I just remembered the tidbit there and opted to include a curse aspect, 'cause, well, it makes sense.

Two, it was also based on how I did what I did out of necessity, not anger or upset, much like how Nezumi cursed her brother, however, she did it as a punishment.

Why did of his children die, save one in the curse? Frankly, I'd have to say that I had once quite loved some of his children and wished to spare them from the feud but, sadly, they were not, even the nephew I had barely formed a connection with.

* * *

 **Nezumi's Emotions and her Memories-** As said before, Nezumi had long suppressed emotions to such an extent that she can't feel them, however, I suppose I should mention them separately.

Nezumi's emotions represent, to a degree, my own feelings and how I yearned to stop feeling them, so I stopped giving them weight and ultimately became disconnected to them, associating them with something else. Likewise, they tend to feel different than what I recall remembering.

Nezumi's memories are much like mine, which is to say hazy and mostly negative. I don't have too many memories of happier times, much like how Nezumi doesn't. I mostly remember the fact that my brother had been rather cruel, however, I have some pleasant memories of him, too, but they elude me.

* * *

Other bits of symbolism, I'm not really sure but feel free to speculate.

**~~Amoridere**


End file.
